Patsy's Pizzeria, East Harlem

While America's founding pizzeria, Lombardi's, no longer serves by the slice, you can get an approximation of their genre-defining, coal-fired pies at Patsy's.

Opened in 1933 by Lombardi protégé Patsy Lancieri, this is the city's only coal-fired slice shop — enough reason to visit in itself.

The crust is thin, light and smoky with a classic tomato and mozzarella topping that's applied sparingly. In the early 1970s, Patsy's became the late-night haunt of director Francis Ford Coppola, who drew on the restaurant's dimly-lit ambience for 'The Godfather' trilogy.